Entries from Kilimanjaro
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Categories: Expedition Dispatches Kilimanjaro
Jambo,
After the long day of travel, we decided to take full advantage of sleeping in this morning. We sat down for breakfast around 9:00 am, and then started in with our first team meeting of the trip. The last member of the team arrived this morning, which makes a total of eleven in our group. For most, this will be their first climb. For everybody, this climb will break all previous trip altitude records.
We spent much of the morning going over the details of our Kilimanjaro climb, covering the route, distances, and elevations of the camps, how to best pack all of the gear needed for the mountain, and the daily routines that we will need to use in order to climb efficiently at altitude. We ended the meeting with a thorough equipment check for each climber just to make sure we have everything needed for the next seven days.
We headed into Arusha after lunch and spent several hours exploring the main market, with its many vendors selling everything from Maasai medicines to some of the biggest avocados one has ever seen. Then we made our way to the tourist part of town to buy some small souvenirs and local handicrafts.
By the time we got back to the hotel, it was already dinner time and we sat down to a wonderful 5 course meal. It's early to bed tonight as we have an early wake up call in the morning. Our hope is to be driving to the Machame Gate at 7:30 and walking the first stretch of trail by 10:30.
We'll check in tomorrow from Machame Camp.
RMI Guide Jeff Martin
Jambo!
We had a great first day and night on Kilimanjaro. We awoke this morning to perfect climbing conditions. After our team breakfast we packed our bags and set out for our next camp on the Shira Plateau.
We ascended to 12,000' traveling through the "Giant Heather" zone to our camp over looking the majestic Great Rift Valley. Before reaching camp the afternoon rains began so we grabbed our rain gear and continued on. With our dining tent and all our sleeping tents set up by our great mountain staff when the team reached camp, we have remained dry throughout the afternoon and evening. We will have a nice team dinner before retiring to our tents for the evening.
The weather already looks like it is starting to clear so we'll hope for clear skies by morning when we set out on the trial again.
We will check in again soon!
RMI Guide Mark Tucker
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Categories: Expedition Dispatches Kilimanjaro
Jambo from Tanzania,
Our African adventure has started!
The majority of the team arrived on the KLM flight from Amsterdam tonight. Definitely a tired group of travelers, but that is to be expected after the almost 24 hours needed to get here. Any arrivals hall is a bit chaotic, and Kilimanjaro International Airport is no exception. Safari teams and climbers alike look for their guides and drivers throughout the crowded maze of people. We found our team pretty quickly and got immediately out of the action and headed to our bus. We had an opened bottle of champagne waiting for us, and after a quick toast to Kilimanjaro, we were on our way to the hotel. One more performance of the "duffel shuffle", and we moved into our rooms where we will be spending the next two nights.
We are minutes away from sitting down to a three course dinner on the outside patio at the Dik Dik Hotel. I think roasted lamb is on the menu tonight.... Tough transition from airplane food, but someone's got do it.
La la salama,
Jeff
Happy that you arrived safely. Makes me want to get on a plane and join you guys. Have a great trip.
Neale ane Meg
Posted by: Meg Bellamy on 2/22/2012 at 11:49 am
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Categories: Expedition Dispatches Kilimanjaro
Jambo
Our team arrived safely in Arusha, Tanzania on July 24th. We spent two nights at the beautiful Dik Dik Hotel resting and recovering from our long flights and adjusting to this new climate and time zone. After sorting our gear, repacking our bags are readying ourselves for the mountain, our trek of Kilimanjaro has finally begun. The Dik Dik hotel is fantastic but it is great to get started on the mountain. We enjoyed perfect climbing conditions today. We drove from the Dik Dik Hotel to the Machame Entrance of Kilimanjaro National Park. We donned our day packs and started out, enjoying the feel of our feet on the trail after so many hours of travel. From the entrance to our first camp, the Machame camp, we gained about 3,800'. We pulled into the Machame Camp (9,800') in good style. We are resting, eating popcorn in our nice dining tent and enjoying each others company.
Everybody feels great and did just fine today. We are looking forward to a good nights sleep and another good day on the trail tomorrow.
We will check in again soon.
RMI Guide Mark Tucker
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Categories: Expedition Dispatches Kilimanjaro
Jambo!
We are all back at the Dik Dik Hotel where it all started not so long ago. Since then, we have climbed a Big Mountain and seen wildlife galore. We had some tough moments and most recently some very easy ones. We have made some new friends and had a chance to visit with past ones.
All and all, we had a great time.
It was nice to have you following our dispatches. Thank you.
I look forward to starting my next dispatch in March with Namaste, when I return to Nepal for yet another expedition on the Big Everest.
All the best,
RMI Guide Mark Tucker
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Categories: Expedition Dispatches Kilimanjaro
Jambo!
Mark Tucker here calling from the Kikoti Camp, outside of the Tarangire National Park, Tanzania. We had a wonderful game drive today, many, many animals, lots of elephant, lots of leopards. I could go on and on and make you all so jealous. So we are having a real fun time at this beautiful property we are at here tonight. We will have coffee in the morning on our lanai. Then we will be making our way back to the Dik Dik Hotel for an evening flight tomorrow. If all works out we will be back in your neck of the woods sooner than later.
We’ll drop you a note tomorrow.
All the best,
RMI Guide Mark Tucker
RMI Guide Mark Tucker checks in from the Kikoti Camp, Tanzania.
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Categories: Expedition Dispatches Kilimanjaro
Jambo!
We are checking in from the fabulous Plantation Lodge in Tanzania.
We had an incredible day of game viewing at the Ngorongoro Crater. At one point we even had a baboon in the driver’s seat of our safari vehicle. That was kind of exciting. We saw many of the beautiful animals that make their home in this extinct crater, lion, giraffe, zebra and elephant along with many species of monkeys and birds.
Tomorrow we head out to Tarangire National Park. The weather has been cooperating and everyone is having fun.
Wish you were here.
All the best,
RMI Guide Mark Tucker
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Categories: Expedition Dispatches Kilimanjaro
We left the Dik Dik Hotel this morning to begin our game viewing safari. We stopped in the town of Arusha for a little shopping for locally made gifts and souvenirs. We continued our drive to Lake Manyara National Park and found a remote and peaceful spot for our delicious barbecue lunch.
After a short but strong rain we finished the afternoon with a wonderful game drive in cool temperature, no dust and sweet thick air.
We are now resting and relaxing here at the Plantation Lodge, really roughing it with a four course deluxe meal.
We are off to the Ngorongoro Crater tomorrow looking for the elusive Rhino, to name just one, and then returning here another for another night at the lodge.
Life is rough!
RMI Guide Mark Tucker
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Categories: Expedition Dispatches Kilimanjaro
Just finished a wonderful meal at The Dik Dik hotel with the whole team.
They all look about the same as when we started the climb, but I believe everyone of them has change in some sense inside. I think a greater self awareness and positive outlook on just how tough and how much they can endure was brought to life over the course of this expedition. Thank goodness for the available hot showers this afternoon it was a nice touch to have them change on the outside.
Perfect weather for our 3 hour hike to the end of the trail where we said good by to a fantastic group of local men who helped us with the climb of Kilimanjaro. Couldn't have done it without them. Thanks so much to The Dik Dik Hotel and RMI staff for all they have done.
We will start the Safari part of the program tomorrow and I will do my best to keep you in the loop.
May it be a short time before this group gets to a new trail head for the start of another great adventure.
Cheers,
RMI Guide Mark Tucker
Jambo.
Mr. Tucker here at the Mweka Camp. You call breath easier as well as us here at the 10,000’ level. All is going well. We had a big day and looking forward to some great deep sleep in the thick air tonight. We’ll have a quick hike to the gate and then back to the hotel and we’ll drop you a note from there.
Thanks.
RMI Guide Mark Tucker checks in from Mweka Camp.
On The Map
Good Show!! Now that you guys are back in thick air, how does it feel to reach your goal? MAy everyone have a great time comming home with your adventure ready to share ... even more than this blog I mean ... thanks for the time to post. See you soon Steve!
Paul
Posted by: Paul Basta on 2/21/2011 at 11:38 am
Dr. Fletcher…everyone at work is asking about you and if I’ve heard from you. I’ve shared the info on this blog and we’re ALL SO EXCITED! Can’t wait to hear all about it when you return. Go Tucker & Team and GO PIRATES!!
Posted by: Sandy Nobles on 7/28/2011 at 8:47 am
...sounds like you are having a great climb so far…shout out from middle tennessee to dr fletcher…:o)...
Posted by: doreen schulz on 7/27/2011 at 9:30 am
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